blog has moved!

Readers of my blog - it has moved locations!!!

Please, avid readers, follow my blog at examiner.com

Her name was Lola, she was a....martini bar?

You haven't done LA if you haven't been to Lola's....according to Hollywood natives (I'm pretty sure if you live in Hollywood for more than 6 months, you can qualify as such).

Lola's is a great, swanky, popular little martini bar on Fairfax between Santa Monica and Melrose. Get there before 10 or 11pm to avoid a line.

Swanky? Martini bar? Popular? Now, this entry already doesn't fit the genre of my blog. I like cool, cheap dives and places with friendly atmosphere.

But wait! There is a catch.

Between 5:30 and 7:30 pm Monday-Friday, Lola's has happy hour! Their typically pricey drinks (think $10-$15) are affordable! They have a short happy hour list, which includes martinis and glasses of wine for $5. $5 martinis? Yes. At a swanky Hollywood bar? Yes! Who knew? Now, you do!

Be forewarned, though: These martinis are dangerously delicious. Problem solved: happy hour food menu with select apps at $5.50 (order a couple, because they are teeny).

Lola's does draw a cross section of people, from industry folk, to ladies dressing up for a "girls night." Due to the abundance of tables, and really good food, the bar scene generally doesn't start getting social until later (ie, people eat dinner there a lot).

It is a great place to go with friends; very pricey outside of happy hour, but between 5:30 and 7:30 during the week, have fun!

You are a Lucky Devil if you get to eat here....

Hot damn, that was a corny title! My apologies, but, it will be beneficial for your taste buds to read on...

Lucky Devils is located on the corner of Whitley and Hollywood (just a few blocks east of Hollywood and Highland), and has food that will make you want to sell your soul to the devil! Once again, corny play on words with the title of the restaurant. I will try to cut back.

This little restaurant has it all: bottomless mimosas for brunch ($12), and happy hour, too ($4 beers and cheap apps). The beers are all micro brews and/or imported - think: Chimay, Duvel, Belgium beers, the good, rich brewskis that are full of flavor and potent. All around delicious. Note: this restaurant only serves beer and wine, so don't come in craving jack and coke... The beer and wine here is a really great selection, though.

Unfortunately, the patron is not a lucky devil when it comes to the price of food....or non-happy hour beers. No, it isn't ridiculously expensive, but entrees are more than $10, which isn't all that fabulous, and the good beers run up to $10 a pint.

BUT, all the priciness is worth it, in my opinion. GREAT Turkey burger, great beers, great fire slaw (okay, the only fire slaw I've ever tried, but it is good! and no, I'm not telling you what fire slaw is)

Bottom Line (at the bottom, this time): DELICIOUS food and drinks, not cheap, but definitely worth it.

11

Actually, they spell out the number on the front, so it is eleven (fancy with no caps, too).

West Hollywood night club turned amazing brunch spot between 11 and 3 on Sunday afternoons. (8811 Santa Monica - near Santa Monica and San Vicente)

Don't worry, I wouldn't stop there. At night, it is a $0 cover club, with male go go dancers in booty shorts. On Sundays, there is bottomless champagne for $7 (notice, not bottomless mimosas, bottomless champagne). There are about ten different types of mimosas available, but every time you order a mimosa, it is $2...a $2 per condiment charge if you will. So, one gets all the champagne one could hope for, but if said bruncher wants a mimosa, or a pink sunrise, or something else fruity and delicious, it is $2 per drink.

Standard brunch fare - all delicious. Standard West Hollywood staff - gorgeous gay men. INTERESTING bathroom - unisex with stalls. Little weird, but I will let it slide.

The atmosphere there is very nice, clean, and we got to sit outside, which was really pleasant and fun. Overall, I highly recommend it....maybe sneak in a flask of OJ though....

Beauty Bar

I don't know...

I have had such mixed experiences at this place, it is really hard to blog about.

Beauty Bar is on Cahuenga Blvd right between Hollywood and Sunset. It draws an odd crowd. From hipsters to cross dressers to porn stars to the cliche Hollywood blonds, Beauty Bar hosts a whole slew of types. Surrounded by clubs with covers, this bar is a nice change of pace - no cash required to get through the door.

Once through the door, however, you are confronted with music from the 80s and prior (spun by a DJ late night), and a bar within a beauty salon. They actually do manicures and henna tattoos for $10 on weekends.

Okay. So, there is a DJ. Dancing? Yes? Maybe. Awkward? Definitely. There isn't a dance floor, but there is an area by the DJ that people begin to dance once the place gets more crowded and liquid courage hits the patrons.

There is also the entry area that people stand around and try to mingle, but the music is often a decibel too loud for that.

So, Beauty Bar is a place to stand awkwardly with a pricey beer and attempt to mingle with cross dressing hipster porn stars, or go in an "I just want to dance" mood, with a group of people and have a blast rocking out to favorite oldies. It can be very miss, or very hit.

The lack of a cover is nice, but there are no amazing prices on drinks - $5+ for beers, and hard liquor is just up from there. My recommendation? Pop in with pop-out potential. There are plenty of other bars around, so you will never get stuck there, and it can be really fun.

Hamburger Marys

No Burgers. Just Brunch.

Okay, they do have burgers. They might have the world's best burgers for all I know, but what draws me to the corner of Santa Monica and Sweetzer (a couple blocks East of Fairfax) are the $1 mimosas. Now, THAT is in my price range.

Every Sunday until 3pm, Hamburger Marys dishes up some great eggs, crepes, pancakes, but most importantly, $1 mimosas and $3 bloody marys (coincidence in the name? I think not!). When it comes to bloody marys, however, I usually splurge for the Absolute Peppar. Only a couple dollars more, and the drink is SO much better. As far as mimosas go, since the glass is small, and the service is meh (I'll go there next), I recommend doing the $12 carafe. It should technically be $10, since I don't think twelve mimosas fit in there, but they charge $12 anyway.

On to the service! Located in the heart of West Hollywood, this restaurant/bar is fully staffed with really good looking gay men (they even have Drag Queen bingo on Weds. nights - a MUST). Unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that these waiters spend more time at the gym than in the books. It is very hit or miss, but most of the time my friends and I get stuck waiting for a while, or our orders are screwed up. NOT a big deal, in my opinion, especially in the company of mimosa carafes.

Also, there is something to be said about the quality of mimosas at Hamburger Marys. DELIGHTFUL. They have a good amount of Champagne, and the OJ isn't pulpy. Genius? I thought so.

uWink

uWink? For this? Hell yes, I wink. Okay - that is DEFINITELY a lie. My winking abilities are slim to none (I blink), but this restaurant kicks some serious arse. Located on the 3rd floor of the Hollywood and Highland center, it is enough out of the way to not get crazy-packed with tourists.

Why does this place rock? Touchscreen games. You know how at some bars, they have touch screen games for a quarter or $.50? Well, this place has them for free....at every table. Wait. It gets better. You even order via the touch screen!

Reminding you of Wall-E too much? No worries; there are interactive games, with more players. A friend of mine commented, "this would be an awful place for a first date."

Wait for it....

First Date touchscreen game. It consists of "mild" and "spicy" questions to ask the other person, ranging from "what kind of books do you like?" to "why did your last relationship end?" (that was under the "spicy" option).

Also, there are group trivia games, and everything.

Food-wise, you can get your meal just the way you like it, without pissing off the waitress. No ketchup? Extra sauce? Just touch the appropriate condiments. Food prices average about $10 a meal, so it isn't a total blow to the wallet, especially with all those games included.

Last, but in NO WAY least: Happy Hour. It is 4-7, Monday - Friday. Half price beers, $4 well drinks and $5 House Margaritas.

Sounds delightful. Know what I mean? Wink. Wink.

Sometimes you just want a good cup o' joe....or cup o' Audry?

In this never-never-land, where Dunkin' Donuts are as sparse as as snow, and Starbucks litter every corner (there are three within a ten minute walk of my place), where does one turn for the caffeine fix?

I do enjoy my occasional ridiculously expensive, dessert - er, I mean coffee - from Starbucks, but I generally go for a cup of plain, black coffee. Over the weekends, or after work with a book in hand, I love to swing by Cafe Audry. Located on the North-West corner of Las Palmas (just a couple blocks east of Highland) and Hollywood Blvd, it is a gem.

This hipster-esq little coffee shop is a great place to hang out and unwind. They have standard cafe fare - coffees, teas, fancy drinks, soups, salads, sandwiches, and, of course, baked goods!

So, what distinguishes this place from the millions of Starbucks to choose from? Atmosphere. They have a really friendly staff, the set up is cozy (must be feng shui somehow, although I am not a feng shui expert, so I can't tell you how), and they have live music there! Oh the benefits of being right across the street from the Musician's Institute.

Even when in a rush, I always want to stop, sip, and curl up with a book in the corner table. How can a place be so comfortable when they lack huge plush chairs? Maybe it's in the coffee...

Saddle Ranch on Sunset

So, I recognize that I named this blog "brunch and such," but have yet to give you a blog about brunching! Now, brunching is something I take very seriously. Okay, that was a lie. Brunching is something I enjoy tremendously! Bingo. When I meet a new person in LA, the first thing they want to know is, "what do you DO?" Oh the land of networkers! My response? "I brunch."

I believe this response often leaves people confused, and a tad annoyed at my complete disregard for their question. I am not going to mold my answer, so I appear to be a more useful person to know. Last time I checked, said inquisitor was not my co-worker, so my position does not directly matter. What I do for income does not necessarily define my passions. So, I view the question: "what do you do?" as "what do you like to do during your free time?"

I apologize for my digression. Back to my favorite thing ever: brunching. While I lived in the Boston area, I bartended on Sundays, which prevented me from brunching. Moving to Los Angeles, and working the 9-5 has enabled me to explore the brunch culture.

I give to you: Saddle Ranch. Located on the Sunset Strip (8371 Sunset Blvd), Saddle Ranch opens at 8am. Brunch happens every day from 8am - 3pm. Two words: Bottomless Mimosas...and Bloody Marys (sorry, five words).

Saddle Ranch has taken some responsibility, and has made the bottomless drinks available only with an entree. Typical brunch entrees are $10-$15, and are HUMONGOUS. An accompanying bottomless drink is $10 as well. With a multitude of different takes on the mimosa and bloody mary, Saddle Ranch offers a drink that will suit almost any palate. My one complaint: the mimosas have a LOT of pulp!

But, what should you do when you are full of delicious omelets, pancakes and mimosas at noon on a Sunday? Ride the mechanical bull, obviously! (note: do not, under any circumstances, think it is a good idea to ride the bull with a skirt on).

Saddle Ranch boasts a friendly staff, musicians coming table to table performing song requests, plenty of televisions for the avid sports fans, and of course, the bull.

Located right on the Sunset Strip, it becomes a hot spot at night, drawing both locals and tourists. Drinks are on the pricey side, but comparatively cheap for the rest of the strip. Don't get the drink smokin'. It looks cool, but really, it is just a pain in the butt for the bartenders to crack open the dry ice, and a few extra bucks out of your wallet.

I have always had a fun time there, whether on a lazy Sunday afternoon, or after 10pm any night of the week. Occasionally you will drop too much money, and occasionally you run the risk of seeing one too many bachelorette parties, but you will never feel bored there!

Kung Pao Kitty

Bottom line: Amazing happy hour, but not too amazing late night.

Yes, I recognize that I put "bottom line" at the top, but that gives you, readers the option to get the gist immediately, before committing to read this whole blog. I promise it will be entertaining and worth reading through, though.

Happy hour at Kung Pao Kitty (located on the North-East corner of Hollywood and Wilcox) is delicious, delightful and deli-cheap. $3. Everything. $3 shrimp pot stickers, which are my absolute favorite, even though they take the longest to come out; $3 calamari, served with a sweet and spicy chili sauce; $3 dumplings and spring rolls, dare I go on?

Of course, I will go on - I haven't touched on the best part! $3 jager shots, $3 bottles of sake, and $3 Tiger beer (for those of you unfamiliar with Los Angeles, a three dollar beer is actually a hard find). Exciting note: drink prices are always this good, not only for happy hour (which is 4-7, Monday through Friday).

I have spent many an hour being happy there, but last night was my first time heading there after dark. (insert spooky music here). At our first attempt at the door, the bouncer rejected us! To his credit, he was just following the rules. My friend and I were wearing sandals, and they did not allow flip flops for insurance reasons (broken glass, etc). However, we were wearing nice sandals, ones with a little bit of a rise. We told him this; he didn't buy it. We told him that we would sign a waiver, so we wouldn't sue them if our feet were cut by broken glass; he didn't buy it.

Fortunately, I live a block away. So, we scurried back to my apartment, donned some covered shoes and were back to the Kitty.

Inside, late night, I found a fairly sparse bar hosting a mix of hipsters and locals - not crazy locals, but easy-to-talk-to locals. Music was playing, but not obnoxiously loud. It was on the darker side, but not too dark. Over all, a decent time....especially with those $3 bottles of sake.

The shoe thing was fairly aggravating, especially since Hollywood Blvd. boasts the city's slipperiest sidewalk (not a known fact, but a strong personal opinion). Heels + Hollywood Blvd = bruised knee.

Top Line: I will go back (with proper footwear), and I do recommend it...but I will always be a little bitter.

Snow White

Oh Snow White.

In the heart of the tourist ridden city of Hollywood sits a tiny (dare I say skeevy?) little bar. Right at the intersection of Hollywood and Highland (6769 Hollywood Blvd, to be exact), with an unassuming red awning is Snow White. This bar has, over the course of the past few months, become "my local dive."

Tourists come to Hollywood by day for pictures by the Chinese Theater, and to walk the "walk of fame." The young and beautiful flock to Hollywood at night for the clubs and drinks. Occasionally during the day, tourists stop in for a beer or some food, but by night time, Snow White is left for the locals.

What is so amazing about this bar? Portion sizes. Whether you choose the 34 oz. beer ($7 during happy hour, $10 otherwise) or the massive glass of wine, you only need two drinks before you are set for the night. A third drink is never a wise choice (believe me, I know)

Along with their massive drinks, Snow White has a physically high bar, with low-ish seats. So, imagine sitting at a bar that comes up to your chest, with a beer the size of your head. You feel like a little kid - not to mention the pictures of Snow White and her seven dwarfs lining the walls.

And then, there is the crowd. Patrons of this establishment tend to be comprised of a handful of regulars (people who bartend there, and men with French accents), students at the Musician's Institute across the street, locals and occasionally littered with Hollywood staples (crazies and tourists).

They have standard, American food: sandwiches, pizzas, pastas. The bar has two tvs - one large one, inconveniently placed at the back of the bar (where 90% of the time, people are blocking it), and a smaller one above the bar. It is dark, dank, dreary - pretty much everything I would hope for in a local dive! I love it!